Chapter 125: The Confessions of a traitorous official 2

The Imperial Shrine of Worship.

Empress Lu had nowhere in mind to go as she left Jiangxi palace, she just wanted to get far away from the Emperor before she did or said something she would regret. After two decades of marriage, she had assumed she had seen the worse of her husband but she was only deluding herself to think that. Emperor Zhong was no longer the shy man she married, she could no longer recognise him. 

She paid no attention to her surroundings and just kept working until she got to the temple located in the Imperial Palace. She missed the surprised looks behind the salutes, she had received from the servants on the way.

They had all heard of the current misfortune the Lu family were experiencing. It was all that was talked about in the capital, they were shocked to see her walking around after she was grounded at Jiangxi Palace by the Emperor.

The greetings stopped as she bent into the stone pathway leading to the imperial shrine of worship. She stopped at the entrance of the Imperial shrine of worship and looked inside, there usually wasn't any visitors during the day. She pulled up her gown and walked over the entryway. She walked the short distance to the front entrance of the Imperial Shrine of worship.

The Imperial Shrine was a sacred place of worship in the palace, the Emperor and Empress made sacrifices to their ancestors in this pavilion. The Imperial Shrine served as more than just a prayer temple but a memorial room for members of the Imperial family. The People of northern Wei were placed great importance on honouring their ancestors.

Every compound contained a wooden screen inscribed with auspicious words. The Imperial Shrine of worship was a spacious pavilion with three wide located at the Western side of the palace. The bigger hall was the main hall open to the public. It was where the public worship of the royal Ancestors was held annually. 

While the inner room was where the Emperor and other senior members of the royal family worshipped their ancestors. They burned incense for their ancestors during the anniversary of their dead. The central part of the main hall was for the Emperor to worship and eat sacrificial meats. In the western part was a gold statue of Buddha.

The Memorial tablets of past Emperors and other members of the royal family that made notable contributions to the Empire was arranged around a much smaller Buddha statue. Candies were a lot around the room, while incense sticks were placed in a bowl for visitors to burn.

Layers upon layers of memorial tablets encircled the buddha statue, among them was the memorial tablet belonging to Grand Princess Bai. The Emperor's elder sister. A tall man in a green official uniform stood in front of the memorial tablet belonging to Emperor Zhong's younger sister, Princess Bai.

Empress Zhong removed her hand from Xuanyi's hands and whispered, "Xuanyi, I need to speak with Minister Zhu, please keep a watch out for me".

Xuanyj glanced at the minister standing solemnly by the memorial tablet and nodded. She bowed, hurriedly retreated and stood in the hallway a short distance from the door.

Empress Lu climbed the two low steps and walked into the room, she glanced from her old friend to the black wooden memorial tablet and closed her eyes. She counted to three in her mind before walking forward.

"Yawen-ge, it has been a while", Empress Lu said as she got closer.

Minister Zhu turned around and gave her a half-bow, "Your Highness, please excuse my presence".

"That's okay, no need to get worried" She walked forward and stood next to him. She lit an incense and put it on the burner. Minister Zhu turned back and faced his wife's memorial tablet. 

Empress Lu bowed and as she stood whispered, "Why didn't you tell me about the arrest".

Minister Zhu sighed " did he have to tell you that today?"

Empress Lu Knew who the "He", Zhu Yawen was talking about, they were both used to being used by this mutual friend of theirs. She laughed mockingly, "I am surprised he could stay at ease till now, can you believe that he doesn't even remember that today was the anniversary of his best friends death".

Minister Zhu glanced at her, "how do you do it? All this hiding around is tiring, why do I always have to save him from himself?"

"Someone has to do it and he has pushed me away. You are the only person that can do that"

"I wouldn't have to do that if brother Hong was still here. I never should have given him that advice. The memory of that day eats at me every single day" he glanced at her, "Don't you regret it"

She placed at him and shook her head, "honestly, sometimes I do but then I remember all the things we had to lose. If my brother had come back, he might have killed every last one of us. You did what you could".

"When will it end, I can't go on like this. Meirong, he wants to kill Yaozhu, he wants to kill all of them. How long must I plot against my own Godson, he has no limit. I must end this"

"Brother Yawen, please don't do anything foolish! Don't worry about my family, I have a plan. The Grand Princess owes me a favour, It is time to call up old favours"

Zhu Yawen gazed at her silently for some second, he owed the Lu family a blood debt that would take more than a generation to pay. Luckily he had done right by them this lifetime and married his daughter into the Lu family. When he is gone, he can trust that she would protect them.

"Meirong, I don't have much time left here"

Empress Lu looked at him with hugging eyes, "is it time already?"

"Nearly, Mazu visited me in my dream last night. I have to go back, once I find my eldest child. I will return to the heavenly palace. Don't worry about the Emperor, I won't leave you to suffer"

"I understand old friend" Empress Lu turned away skillfully before he saw the tears in her eyes.

***********

On Route to the capital from Ningzhuo

Su Liya together with Baozhai and Rong Rong was put in a wooden carriage en route to the capital. After five days of on the road, they were now riding through the forest leading to the towns on the outskirts of Ningzhuo.

The soldiers ignored them all through the journey so far. Apart from when they were pushed into the carriage, Su Liya was not addressed by the commander in charge of this unit. They rode from dawn until it got dark, at night the soldiers made camp. 

The camp was small with only four tents set up, the biggest tent was occupied by the commander while the other three were occupied by Su Liya and the higher-ranked soldier. Su Liya was put into a small tent with her maids. There wasn't much in the tent apart from a sleeping bag and a small bowl of water. 

Su Liya sat by a lit heater at the centre of the tent with her hands after a sponge bath. She missed a few luxuries enjoyed in the future such as a shower or a bath. She had given up on checking for any secret message from Wu Yao after getting disappointed during the first three days of their journey. 

She was surprised to find a secret message slipped into the rice ball delivered by a guard. She had taken a bit of the Rice fall when she felt something firm in the middle of the ball. Su Liya gasped, brought the rice ball out from her mouth and broke it in two.

Embedded at the middle of the rice ball was a slim leather sachet, she pulled it out and unclasped the sachet. There was a rolled-up white paper and a small key inside the sachet, she pulled out the paper and unrolled it. She glanced through the paper which read "Noon - Tomorrow" and threw the paper into the fire.

The next day at noon a smoking letter sachet was thrown on the path in front of the leading horses. The horse got startled and began to struggle. The soldiers tried without none stop to rein in their horses but the animals never budge. A few soldiers were thrown off their horse and the more dan into the graces.

The disturbance was the only sign Su Liya and her maids needed to get ready. They unlocked the chains wrapped around their hands, Baozhai raised the curtain carefully and looked out the window. She watched as armed men in black ran out of the graces around them with swords.

They attacked the soldiers in large numbers, Wu Yao had eyes on them since they left Ningzhuo. She mustered fifty of her elite warriors for this mission. In less than an hour, the guards were all killed. Wu Yao ordered one of her men to unlock the lock on the carriage, letting them out.